By Tim Binnall
A Missouri city is the latest locale to embrace spooky season with a 'haunted trail' highlighting the community's notoriously eerie spots. Dubbed the 'Paranormal Pursuit Passport,' the program was unveiled this week by the Independence tourism department. The trail includes 13 locations known for their "haunted history, chilling legends, and unexplained stories." Among the spots featured in the program are the infamous Vaile Mansion, a massive 1881 estate where the ghost of a woman in white has often been seen by visitors, and an 1859 limestone jail, where similar spooky figures have been reported in the past.
Similar to West Virginia's popular Paranormal Trail, which recently relaunched for 2026, Independence's 'passport' is interactive, as it encourages participants to check in at the various spooky locations to collect points towards various prizes, including a t-shirt, mug, or patch. Launched on Wednesday, the program runs through November 6th, with the tourism department warning that "once the veil closes, so does your chance to complete the pursuit." The Independence paranormal passport follows last week's launch of the 'Haunted History Trail' in Connecticut, which boasts over 130 spooky spots throughout the state.